I am a great one for experimenting. Always have been … to the distress of my dear mother before marriage but after that, I keep my experiments hidden from my husband and kids. The successful ones I tout around, the rest are better kept under wraps.
My most recent one I am sharing with you. It has been a matter of some concern for the female population going for Hajj and Umrah how to keep their faces covered in the state of ihraam. For of course, you must know that it is not allowed to uncover, especially if going for Umrah which is a nafli ibaadah. Hadhrat Ayesha رضی الہ عنہا went to Hajj with Rasulullah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and she states about the journey:
“The riders used to pass by us when we were with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم in ihraam. When they came near, each of us would lower her jilbaab from her head over her face, and when they passed by we would uncover (our faces).” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1833; Ahmad, 24067]
It was also clarified in another narration that the sahabiyaat had pieces of wood stuck to their heads so the veil would not touch their faces and compromise the ihraam.
Now, we need some permanent sort of thing because the crowd is so dense there is hardly a time without strangers nearby. So, my first experiment was twisting some foam and draping a veil to it so it would fall down the forehead without touching. Drawback: it was really hot and sweaty and the foam compressed pretty soon. Experiment 2: a strip of netting at eye level and the veil over a cap. Drawback: the netting made me dizzy and the whole face was visible at certain angles. Experiment 3: just a thin veil over a cap. Drawback: bumping into everyone and following strangers throughout the Haram because I could not recognize my own family. Experiment 4: sticking printer paper inside my normal niqaab. Drawback: too crackly and I had a hard time breathing. Experiment 5: sticking soft manila paper … the kind you get your Truth mag in … on the inside of my niqab, punctured with holes throughout. Bliss. I could breathe and I could see. A winner. Try it. It
will make your trip easier I promise.